saablog

Some of you may remember reading about my big water adventure in September due to clogged sunroof drains.

I thought I had addressed my leaking problems, especially since I put a car cover on the 900 as there isn’t room for it in the garage. Yesterday the ark-inducing rains briefly abated, and I went out to drive the 900 after nearly 3 weeks rest under the car cover. The car was parked in my driveway, pointing nose-down, under the cover.

I found about 2-3 tablespoons of water in the spare tire well in the trunk, sitting under the petrol filler tube. This may have leaked in via the petrol filler, as the plastic collar that holds the petrol filler door is cracked. Or it may have leaked in elsewhere.

I thought that was all, but upon exiting the car after 1/2 hour of driving, there was a spot on the carpet where my heel sits when driving, soaked through. The weight of my foot in that location must have caused enough pressure to push the carpet down into the pad, wetting it with water caught in the pad.

But I don’t know where it is leaking from. Since the car cover is a breathable material, allowing water to evaporate, it can also become saturated with rain water, which allows the water to find its path in.

It’ll be in the garage now through the weekend in an attempt to dry out again. I’ll next try parking it with the nose pointing uphill with the car cover on, to see if this keeps the car dry.

I’ve lifted the driver side front carpet, and the pad is wet under the pedals toward its forward-lowest edge and a bit up the wheelarch. That is consistent with the fact that  the front-left corner of the car was sitting lowest. But because it’s only wet at its front edge, it seems like the water is entering along the wheelarch or firewall. Perhaps as a result of my windshield replacement a few months ago?

 I’ll leave the carpet and pad lifted over the weekend to dry out, then will see what happens next.